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680-acre lake near Omaha. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. The lake tops out around 20 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The outline encloses 680 acres, worked by 4.3 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 91% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 1.8 mi long by 0.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. Douglas County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Standing Bear Lake, is 5 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts saugeye in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 6 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 20 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for fall saugeye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness (shallow) or a jig + crawler covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + twister tail, Blade bait |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Crawler harness (shallow), Jig + crawler |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging rap |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Blade bait |
Spring muskellunge on Cunningham Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 14 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: white bass sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 6 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 5 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Spring crappie on Cunningham Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 19 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on Cunningham Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Cunningham Lake also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), channel catfish (6 to 20 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 19 ft.
Access data: Nebraska Game & Parks — Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Nebraska waters are set by the Nebraska Game and Parks — and special regulations can apply to Cunningham Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Cunningham Lake is about 20 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target saugeye, muskellunge, largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp on Cunningham Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for saugeye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For saugeye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Cunningham Lake is regulated by the Nebraska Game and Parks. Check the official Nebraska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Standing Bear Lake 5 mi · Flanagan Lake 8 mi · Prairie View Lake 8 mi · Carter Lake 8 mi, IA · Carter Lake 8 mi · Lawrence Youngman 11 mi · Zorinsky Lake 11 mi · Desoto Bend 12 mi, NE/IA · DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge 12 mi, IA/NE · Prairie Queen Recreation Area 14 mi · Lake Manawa 14 mi, IA · Wehrspann Reservoir 14 mi
See how Cunningham Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best saugeye lakes in Nebraska · best crappie lakes in Nebraska
More water nearby: Douglas County fishing maps (7 charts). Browse all Nebraska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.